Rudder-lock



(No Model.\

- H. L." BO-WDO'IN.

RUDDER LOOK.

' Patented July 24, 1894.

FIG. I.

- UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

HARRY L. BOVVDOIN, OF WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA.

RUDDER-LOCK. I

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 523,618, dated July 24,1894. Application filed January 31,1894. Serial K04498323- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern 1 3e it known that I, HARRY L. Bowoom, a,citizen of the United States. residing at Wil-.

. mington, in the county of New Hanover and State of North Carolina,have invented a new and useful Rudder-Lock, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention has relation to boats and par ticular reference to certainimprovements in the rudders thereof.

The objects of myinvention are to provide for a cheap and simpleconstruction of lock for securing rudders in theirhinged positions onthe stern-posts of vessels; to so construct the look as to render theunshipping of the rudder possible Without docking the vessel oremploying a diver for the purpose of disconmeeting, the rudder, but tothe contrary to enable such unshipping to be accomplishedfrom thesurface of the water or above the same; and finally to construct thelook so as to render the engagement of the rudder secure and safe.

Other objects and advantages of the inventlon will appear in thefollowing description and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:-Figure 1 is a perspective view of thestern-post and rudder of a vessel of any class. Fig. 2 is a verticallongitudinal sectionalview of thesatne. Fig..

3 is a detail in mechanism.

Like numerals of reference indicate like perspective of the lockingparts in all the figures of the drawings.

The stern-post 1 is provided with the usual braces to form eyes 2 and3?, which project aft therefrom, and are designed to engage in ahinge-like manner with the depending pintles 3 located at the forwardedge of the rudder 4, and extending from the upper sides of the usualrecesses 5 provided for their reception, whereby the front edge of thelatter is positioned in close proximity to the aforesaid stern-post 1.

A mortise, chamber or recess 6 is produced in the forward edge of therudder immediately below the upper pintle, and located in the same isapair of metal bearing-ears 7, the same being formed upon the metalsecuringplate 8, secured in position in the bottom of forward itreceives the lower end of the upsaid recess. Between these ears there ispivoted a locking-block 9, the same having its upper end chambered sothat when swung per pintle. The after edge of the rudder is likewiseprovided with a recess, mortise or chamber 10, and in the same is seateda substantially U-shaped metal frame, whose after end hasadependingsecuring-fiange 12. The afterv'ertical portion of the metalframe 11 'has formed on its inner side bearing cars 13,

and the forward vertical portion has an opening 14 formed thereinopposite the ears. Through this forward opening a connectingrod 15 ispassed, the front end of which is pivoted at 16 to the locking-block 9.Pivoted to the after end of this connecting-rod 15, as indicated at 17,and between the ears 13 as indicated at 18, is a pair of members orlinks 19 of an angle-joint, said members being pivotally connected attheir inner ends at 20 to each other, and to the lower. end of a bentoperating-rod 21, which extends through a channel 22, with which theafter edge of the rudder is provided, and terminates above the same inan eye 23.

The links, when swung downward in substantial alignment, form a positivelook to prevent any liability of the pivoted locking block 9 swinginginward and releasing the rudder; and the operating rod extendsupward,and is supported by the links or members 19, whereby its weight servesto hold the latter in their locked positions. f

The mortise in which the operating rod Works is covered by a thin strip24 of metal or wood. The operating rod projects far enough above therudder to enable a hooked rod or similar tool to be inserted in the eye23,whenever the lock is to be operated, and

when not in operation the lock is held in place'by the strip 24. Thestrip 24 is hinged at its after end to the rudder; its forward end isdetachably secured by means of a staple and bolt; and the operating rodis provided below the eye 23 with a shoulder 26 of greater size than theopening 25 of the strip, to form I .a stop to prevent the operating rodfrom moving upward and releasing the rudder.

The operation of the invention is as follows: To unship the rudderremove the secur ing strip 2%, insert a tool in the eye 23, the sameserving to elevate or reciprocate vertically the operating-rod 22, andthus through the medium of the angle-joint and'the conncctlng-rod 15draw the locking-block inward or toward the after edge and from underthe pintle of the rudder. No opposition then exists to an upwardwithdrawal of the rudder and 1ts complete unshipping. To replace therudder it is simply necessary to lower the pintles into the braces, anddepress the lever, whlch forces the operating-rod 22 downward, andpresses the angle-joint into substantial alignment and through themedium of the connecting-bar 15 pushing the locking-block 9 forward sothat its upper chambered end takes under the upper pintle, and anyupward motion of the rudder is resisted by the aforesaid locking-blockcoming into contact with the upper brace of the stern-post.

From the foregoing description in connectlon with the accompanyingdrawings, it will be seen that I have provided a very simple means forlocking in operative position the rudders of vessels of any classwhatever,which means is so constructed as to permit of a readyunshipping of the rudder when occasion requires, without the necessityof docking the vessel or diving below water to disengage theing pintlesin its forward edge for removparts.

Various changes will suggest themselves as; to the details of myinvention, and I therefore do not limit the same to those particulardetails herein shown and described, but hold that I may vary the same toany degree and extent within the knowledge of the skilled mechanic.

It will be observed that my invention may be built in the rudder at thetime of its manufacture, or may be applied at a slight cost tor suchrudders as are now in use, and it will be found adequate for vessels ofany class whatever.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The combination withthe stern post of a vessel and its eyes, of a rudder having pintles forremovably engaging the eyes, a pivoted locking block arranged below oneof the pintles and arranged to engage the under side of the receivingeye, the links pivoted together and connected with the rudder and thelocking block, and means for swinging the links upward and downward tooperate the locking block, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the stern post of a vessel and its eyes, of arudder having pintles for removably engaging the eyes, a locking blockpivoted to the rudder and located below one of the pintles and engagingthe under side of the adjacent eye, the pivoted links disposedsubstantially horizontally and connected with the rudder and the lockingblock and forming when lowered a brace to prevent inward movement of thepivoted locking block, and an upward extending operating rod connectedwith the links and resting upon the same and serving as a weight to holdthe links downward, substantially as described.

3. The combination with the stern-post and eyes of a vessel, of a rudderand its depending pintles for removably engaging said eyes, a pivotedlocking-block arranged below one of said eyes in the forward edge ofsaid rudder, an operating-rod, connections between the same and thelocking-block for causinga swinging movement of the block at averticalmovement of the rod, and means for causing said vertical movements ofthe rod, substantially as specified.

4. The combination with the stern-post and its eyes of a vessel, of arudder having dependably and loosely engaging the eyes, a metalbearing-plate arranged in the forward edge of the rudder below theuppermost pintle, a locking-block pivoted between the ears, and havingits upper end recessed to receive the pintle, a metal U-frame arrangedin an after recess in the rudderandhaving its forward end perforated, aconnecting-bar passed through the perforation, and loosely connectedatits front end with the locking-block, an anglelever having itsopposite ends connected to the rod, and to the frame, and thereciprocating operating rod arranged in a channel in the rudder andpivoted at its lower end at an intermediate point on the angle,substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two withesses.

HARRY L. BOWDOIN.

Witnesses:

R. F. FOWLER, W. N. HARRISS.

